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Twenty years ago, my husband and I started flipping houses in Green Bay, Wisconsin. That experience inspired me to pursue a career as a real estate broker. Over the years, I have become an expert at flipping homes and helping investors find homes. House flippers, investors, and diligent savers often have the cash on hand to buy a house with cash. Instead of financing their purchase with a home loan, they pay for the home with a cashier’s check or wire transfer. Buyers who make all-cash offers need to take different steps to purchase a house than buyers with home loans. That’s why it’s critical to work with a real estate broker who has experience with cash offers for investors, savers, and house flippers.
According to the National Association of REALTORS® 2023 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, 80% of recent home buyers secured a home loan to purchase real estate. For the 20% who can swing it financially, buying a house with a cash offer has its advantages. We’ll take a look at both the advantages and disadvantages of a cash home buyer.

Advantages of Buying a Home with Cash

Saving Money on Mortgage Fees & Interest

Cash home buyers save thousands of dollars on interest payments and other mortgage fees. For example, let’s consider a home buyer who borrows $240,000 at 7% interest with a 30-year fixed rate mortgage. In addition to repaying the $240,000, the buyer also owes $334,820 in interest (calculator.net). By paying cash, home buyers skip the mortgage process and loan fees, including mortgage insurance and interest payments. Additionally, closing costs are reduced with cash purchases. Homebuyers don’t need to pay a loan application fee or other lender fees.

Appealing to Home Sellers

In today’s competitive real estate market, cash home buyers have an advantage over those who finance their home purchases. Sellers often prefer a cash offer because they don’t need to worry about the buyer’s financing. Some home sales fall through at the last minute if a mortgage lender doesn’t approve financing.

Faster Real Estate Process

Plus, cash transactions are faster to process because there’s much less paperwork and fewer administrative tasks. Home buyers and sellers don’t need to wait for lenders to approve, underwrite, and process a home loan. The closing process is faster, which is a huge advantage to buyers and sellers who want a house sale to move quickly, for whatever reason.

Satisfaction of Owning a Home

Another advantage for cash home buyers is the peace of mind knowing they own a home debt-free. The home is theirs, and they don’t need to worry about losing their house if they can’t make house payments.

Disadvantages of Buying a Home with Cash

A Lack of Liquidity in an Emergency

Paying for a house with cash has several disadvantages. First, a home purchase is a major investment, turning a large amount of money into an asset that lacks liquidity. Essentially, an all-cash deal shouldn’t threaten a home buyer’s financial stability. Cash home buyers need to have emergency savings on hand that they can access quickly and easily, if necessary. It’s much faster to take money from a savings account than putting your house up for sale and using the money from a home sale. Plus, homeowners in a hurry to sell may be forced to sell at a loss.

Inability to Invest in Other Assets

Carrying some real estate debt often leaves homeowners with the resources to invest in other assets. These assets may increase their wealth in the future. Tying up a lot of cash in one property may not be the smartest financial decision. Home buyers need to be aware of homeowner expenses they’ll encounter. They will need enough money to pay their homeowners insurance, property taxes, and possibly, homeowners association fees.

Missing Out on Mortgage Tax Breaks

Another disadvantage of a cash offer is the tax implications. Homeowners can reduce their taxable income by deducting the interest paid on the first $750,000 of their mortgage. Buyers who pay cash for a house won’t have this tax reduction option.

Consult with a Financial Advisor

Buying a home with cash can be a good option for house flippers, investors, and select buyers in the Green Bay real estate market. But first, they should consult with a financial advisor to review their financial portfolio and evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of a cash offer.

Work With an Experienced Real Estate Agent

Cash home buyers also should work with a real estate company, like Express Realty, that is experienced in all-cash home purchases. Terri Balistriere, of Express Realty, has 15 years of experience in the Green Bay real estate market. She’s also an experienced house flipper. There are many strategies in which investors can make money off of investment properties by taking out a loan or paying all cash. Terri did so on three properties in 2024! She helps investors find the right property and the right balance for financing their investment property.

Save With Low Commission of 4%

Terri is an expert negotiator with a solid understanding of what a property is worth. Best of all, Express Realty’s low commission model enables clients to keep more of their hard-earned money in their pocket! Why pay 6% to sell your home with another real estate agent when you can pay Express Realty a lower commission of 4%? (Express Realty: Consistently Low Commissions Amid Real Estate Changes) You might save over $10,000 and enjoy an exceptional home-buying experience. Contact Express Realty for a complimentary consultation.

When homeowners are ready to sell their homes, one of the first questions they ask is, “What is my home worth?” Setting the right price helps determine how many buyers will express interest, how fast a home will sell, and how much money the home seller earns. Basically, pricing a home is a balancing act. If the asking price is too high or too low, the homeowner won’t attract the right buyers. Sellers who overprice their homes reduce their pool of potential buyers to just the elite buyers who can afford an overpriced home. The average home buyers may hesitate to make an offer. They don’t know if the seller is agreeable to selling the property for less than the asking price. Additionally, pricing a home correctly from the start will decrease the need for price reductions if the home lingers on the market. Price reductions are disappointing and emotionally draining for the seller. Plus, home buyers and real estate agents typically show less interest in “stale” listings. They might ask, “What’s wrong with this property?” The home’s perceived value drops even more. 

Pricing a Home in Green Bay WI

As a Green Bay real estate broker with 15 years of experience, I have developed a knack for hitting the sweet spot for setting an asking price. Let me share a few of the lessons I learned about pricing a home in the Green Bay real estate market. Essentially, home sellers want to maximize their return on investment. However, they also need to price a home competitively so the real estate is attractive to buyers. Right now, it’s a seller’s market in Green Bay and Brown County, Wisconsin. (Looking to Buy a House? 7 Tips to Overcome High Prices, Low Inventory) Any home that is priced fairly will receive multiple offers within days of hitting the real estate market. Oftentimes, the unprecedented demand for homes triggers a bidding war. I’ve seen negotiations push the final offer thousands of dollars above the asking price. As a seasoned real estate broker in Brown County, Wisconsin, I consider current real estate market trends like these when I price a home for sale. An appraiser will assess the value of a home based on its physical features, but other factors also affect the resale price.  

Factors that Affect the Price of a Home 

• Green Bay and Wisconsin real estate market trends September Home Sales Declined as Prices Increased at Robust Pace
• Age, size, style, layout, and curb appeal
• Condition of the property, recent upgrades and renovations
• Location in a rural or urban neighborhood, city, village, town, school district
• Amenities, like the number of bedrooms & bathrooms and yard size
• Comparable sales prices for recently sold properties

Attracting Multiple Real Estate Offers

At Express Realty, we set the asking price just a bit higher than the value we expect to earn for a home sale. This strategy typically attracts multiple home buyers who are serious enough to submit competitive offers. Offers to Purchase from multiple buyers often drive up the final sale price, giving home sellers the highest price for their property.

Partner with an Experienced Broker

As you consider selling your home in Green Bay or Brown County, Wisconsin, you will definitely want to work with an experienced broker who is familiar with the Green Bay real estate market. Terri Balistriere, of Express Realty, consistently sells homes in the Green Bay area faster and for more money because of her real estate experience and negotiation skills. Because Terri has a solid understanding of what a property is worth, she knows how to price listings right. Sellers feel confident in Express Realty’s home valuation opinions, selling their real estate quickly and for the best possible price.

Express Realty’s Low Commission Model

Best of all, Express Realty low commission model enables clients to keep more of their hard-earned money in their pocket! Why pay 6% to sell your home with another real estate agent when you can pay Express Realty a lower commission of 4%? (Express Realty: Consistently Low Commissions Amid Real Estate Changes) You might save over 10K – and enjoy an exceptional home selling experience. Contact Express Realty for a free comparative analysis.

New rules for residential real estate are now in effect, and I’ve been answering a lot of questions from home buyers and home sellers. I hope to ease any concerns by explaining more about the real estate rule changes resulting from a 2023 legal decision. Based on the new rules, buyers now have to sign a buyers’ agreement before viewing a home with a real estate agent. The buyers’ agreement specifies how much a home buyer will pay the agent in commission. Here’s the good news for the home buyers I represent. I will not charge buyers any commission. Each of my sellers (and sellers represented by many of my experienced peers) will still pay 2% commission to the buyer’s agent. 

Sellers Set Payment for Buyer’s Agent 

Based on the new ruling, the seller decides whether to pay a buyer’s agent or how much to pay in commissions. Typically, sellers understand they will receive higher prices and more offers on their house by paying a buyer’s agent to represent them on the buy side. Sellers can choose not to pay the 2% commission to a buyer’s agent, but this might hurt their negotiating power. 

Paying 4% Commission Instead of 6%

Another change with the new rules: Real estate clients can negotiate their real estate commission, instead of accepting the traditional 6%. Here’s the good news for the home sellers I represent. Commission always has been negotiable. In recent years, real estate companies and agents routinely charged 6%. They paid 2% to the buyer’s agent and kept 4%. Unlike them, I never asked for a 6%. I put my buyers and sellers first, and I demonstrate this by charging 4%. I pay 2% to the buyer’s agent and keep 2%. Express Realty clients save more of their hard-earned equity by paying a low commission for real estate. 

An Agent Who Knows the Industry

Buying or selling a home is one of the largest financial transactions of life. So, working with a low commission real estate agent can save thousands of dollars. When choosing a real estate agent, it’s so important to work with an experienced agent who understands the new law. You need an agent who knows the best strategies to obtain the most money for your home sale. On the flip side, you need an agent who can find your perfect home, while not making you pay even more money out-of-pocket.

Contact Express Realty, Green Bay 

The new real estate laws can be confusing, so please contact me with any questions. Let me know how I can help you achieve your residential real estate goals. I am a Green Bay real estate broker/owner providing responsive, professional, and honest services.

I’ve had many people ask what it means for Express Realty in light of the recent changes in the industry. Come July, the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) can’t disclose what a seller will pay to a buyer’s agent, if anything. 

Today, the typical real estate company often charges a commission rate of about 6%. When they co-broke and work with a real estate agent outside their agency, they often keep about 4% and pay 2% to the buyer’s agent.

Express Realty typically charged 3.5-4% and pays a similar 2% co-broke fee. So, Express Realty only keeps 1.5-2% commission, resulting in a 2-2.5% savings to our sellers.

Saving Money for Real Estate Clients 

Since I started my own company in 2008, I never charged 6% commission. Commission ranged from 3-4.5% total. As technology streamlined the real estate sales process, I wanted to offer my clients more savings. I paid 2% to the buyer’s agent but took the lower percent commission on my end. This saved my clients millions of dollars in commissions since 2008.

Going forward, I will charge 2% to my sellers, and they can decide if and what to pay the buyer’s agent or have the buyer pay the commission. Right now, most real estate clients still want to pay a buyer’s agent. Clients want to ensure that buyer’s agents show a house, as they know not all buyers can afford to pay a buyer’s commission.

Always Charging Low Commissions

I truly appreciate everyone recognizing I never charged 6% commission. I ALWAYS have and will have my client’s best interest at heart. I recently received this 5-Star review. My clients make every night, weekend, and yes – even holidays – I’ve worked worthwhile!

We had a great experience with Terri… it took us a long time to find our perfect home. Just shy of TWO years… yes you read that right. And she NEVER pushed us for just “another” home sale in her pocket book, like other realtors have. We saved a lot of money and we’re happy with the experience we had with Terri as the realtor for the sale of our old home and purchase the our new. We were looking for a realtor who genuinely cares about our wants in one of the bigger investments we’d make, and that’s what we got.

-Nathan Ebert

Spring is the perfect time to sell your house. The spring flowers are blooming, the grass is green, and your yard looks great. Plus, in the springtime, people get outdoors more. The weather is more conducive to attending open houses and moving a household of stuff into a new home. Additionally, home buyers with school-aged children prefer a spring move. Moving in the spring allows time for the family to settle into their new neighborhood before the start of the next school year.

Real Estate Experience & Low Commission

If you want to cash in on the 2024 spring home-buying peak, now is the time to prepare your house for sale. Your first task is to call Express Realty to schedule a free, market analysis and consultation. As the owner/broker of Express Realty I will help you determine how to get the highest value for your real estate. As a top-selling real estate broker in the Green Bay, Wisconsin, market, I provide responsive, professional, and effective real estate services. I have over 15 years of helping Green Bay-area residents achieve their real estate goals. Best of all, I save sellers $7,000 in commissions on average, by charging a low commission of 4 percent instead of the traditional 6 percent commission.

Home Sellers Are Earning Top Dollar

For more than two years, the demand for real estate has outpaced the supply of homes for sale in Wisconsin. Listings decreased 20 percent since March 2022. I predict that 2024 will continue to be a seller’s market, with sellers earning top dollar. Average home prices in Wisconsin rose about 7 percent from March 2022 to January 2024.  

7 Recommendations for Home Sellers

Here are my seven recommendations to help your home sell faster and for more money.

Fix Everything That’s Broken

Whether you hire a handyman or do it yourself, fix everything that’s broken before listing your house. Fix all of the leaky faucets, cracks in the walls, nonfunctional appliances, broken locks, squeaky doors, and anything that tarnishes the home’s reputation.

Deep Clean Your House

To ensure your house looks and smells its best, deep clean every room. Wipe all of the windows, walls, and other surfaces, scrub the floors, clean the sinks and toilets, and vacuum/shampoo the carpets. Deep clean your home to make a good first impression for potential buyers.

Declutter Your Home

Make your home more appealing to potential buyers by removing extra furnishings, accessories, toys, knickknacks, and belongings. Instead of focusing on your “stuff,” potential home buyers can focus on the home itself.

Give Away or Store Possessions 

When you declutter your home, you’ll need a place to take your extra furnishings and belongings. I encourage home sellers to give their extra possessions to charity and rent a temporary storage unit to store the remainder. A storage unit is a safe place to store items while preparing a house for staging and showing. 

Repaint the Walls a Neutral Color

To make your home look brighter, bigger, and more welcoming, add a fresh coat of paint. Choose neutral colors like beige, gray, or white. You don’t want to scare off home buyers with intense paint colors or loud patterns.

Stage Your Home

Present your house in its best light by staging your home yourself or hiring a professional. Staging involves redecorating, repositioning furniture, and styling a home to appeal to potential buyers. In addition to staging the interior, I recommend staging the exterior, also. Improve a home’s curb appeal by attending to landscaping, siding, doors, windows, and lawncare.

Invest in Professional Photography

Now that your home is looking its best inside and out, you want high quality, professional photos to represent its distinct features and charm. Before listing a home, hire a professional photographer to compose, snap, and edit high-resolution photos. Home buyers who see professional images will look closer; whereas, they’ll breeze right past any indistinct, amateur photos. 

Housing Prices in Brown County WI

The forecast looks sunny this spring for home sellers in the Green Bay area. Just look at these home price statistics for Brown County, Wisconsin, in 2023.

• Median sold price: $307,322
• Median price per square foot: $167
• Change from January 2023 to January 2024: +$42,341 (+16.0%)

Spring is the best season to sell a house. By following my seven recommendations, home sellers put themselves in the best position to sell their home quickly and for top dollar. Let’s meet and talk about the ways we can work together to market your home in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Schedule a Comparative Market Analysis with Express Realty today.

The most effective real estate brokers maintain an expansive network of connections. They build solid relationships with lenders, inspectors, mortgage brokers, title companies, and fellow real estate agents. Over the past 15 years, Express Realty has developed great relationships with the real estate professionals working in the Green Bay area. As the Broker/Owner of Express Realty, I make relationships a priority. There is not a lender or realtor in Green Bay that I don’t know. This is critical, because I am able to direct my clients to the most reliable, trusted professional to handle any situation. For two recent transactions, my buyers didn’t know what lender to trust for a home loan. I connected them to two different lenders, because each buyer had specific financial needs. Both successfully secured financing and now are living in their new homes.

Home Owners Insurance Recommendations

In addition to recommending mortgage brokers and lenders, I also refer clients to insurance agents. When one of my clients was having trouble getting a good rate for home owners insurance, I directed them to an insurance agent who gave them amazing coverage at a great rate.

30 Years of Sales & Management Experience

During my 15-year career in real estate, I’ve gotten to know many of the real estate agents in the Green Bay market. They know that I am an experienced broker who knows how to write a great offer. I am not one of those agents whose buyers submit 10 different offers on 10 different houses that get rejected each time. Numerous times, my client’s offer beat out a bunch of other offers – and my client didn’t overpay to buy the property. I’ve been in sales and management for over 30 years, so my negotiation skills are impeccable. 

A Strong Relationship with Real Estate Clients 

Relationship-building doesn’t just pertain to real estate professionals. I also maintain strong relationships with my clients. I love helping home buyers and sellers understand every step of the buying and selling process. My real estate clients appreciate my honesty and good judgment. 

For buyers, I tell them outright if I would not buy a house and why. (Check out my article: Looking to Buy a House? 7 Tips to Overcome High Prices, Low Inventory) I always make sure the property they want to purchase is:

• In great condition 
• In the right location  
• Priced right
• Resaleable
• Has the right vibe

Top Dollar, Less Stress, Low Commissions  

My favorite part of working with sellers is helping them understand exactly how much money they will net after the sale. Every seller wants to get top dollar and have a low-stress home-selling experience. (Check out my article, Why Now’s the Time to Sell Your Home in Brown County WI) Nobody wants to pay high a real estate commission of 6 percent. Childcare, groceries, senior living, estate planning, and other products and services are so expensive. If clients can save money on real estate commissions, that’s a real benefit. Express Realty charges a low, 4 percent commission, versus 6 percent commissions, which saves the average seller $8,000. That’s a huge savings! I’m proud to say that each year I experience record sales – which translate to record savings for my clients. 

Comprehensive Real Estate Expertise

Express Realty provides clients with a vast amount of real estate expertise:

• Expansive network of professional connections  
• 15 years of real estate experience
• Knowledge of real estate laws and regulations
• Familiarity with the Greater Green Bay area
• Proven marketing plan
• Powerful negotiating skills
• Sterling reputation in the industry

Schedule a Complimentary Consultation

Consider all of these factors when choosing a real estate broker to represent you and your loved ones. Express Realty has the right combination of skills to help clients achieve their real estate goals. Schedule a complimentary consultation today.